We are never told the truth about such things, simply left to obey or disobey, to believe or disbelieve. I believe there was a virus travelling about, made much, much worse by a handful of bad actors intent on reducing population and putting a chokehold on those remaining unbridled.
The stupidity I saw first hand told just how much of the populace believed the end was near. Driving alone in your car? Better wear a mask. Sitting down to eat in a diner? Better wear a mask in between bites. Shopping in the supermarket in one way aisles? Yep, you're an idiot. Need a dentist appointment? Sorry, Charlie...no can do.
I lived life as I always have, going up and down grocery aisles not paying attention to the taped signs on the floor, which incidently cause a few lawsuits over tripping on those taped signs. I did wear a mask as I worked on the Space Force Base shucking eyeglasses and had to wear it or lose my job. I did wind up leaving there after a few weeks of that.
All in all, a very telling display of human fear and submission to threats fabricated by 'experts in the field'.
It was pretty much the same here and probably other places. I was interested to see how some embraced it, lapped up all the propaganda and embraced the fear, and others did not, got on with life or enjoyed "working from home" like me and getting paid for doing nothing.
I hate lines, standing in them, and being told to follow them, and being forced to stand on an "X" on the ground while waiting to get served was something I rebelled against in my own little way (standing "not on the X") as a small act of defiance and I did other things as well just to say fuck you China virus and government who wants to control me. Small things, but it helped I guess.
I didn't embrace the fear as some did but as you have said, the responses some had and society in general was rather telling about where people's heads are at.
100
Agree 💯%